I love Aretha [Franklin] and I've loved her all my life. I think she's an incredible songstress, obviously. She consistently has had this incredible voice. I remember when she was singing gospel in her father's church.

In my career, I learned that giving your services for free gives you a good return on your investment, not just financially but morally. It supplements your personal integrity.

My thing was always trying to do as much as I possibly could do. I wanted to do all the things the other kids did in the neighborhood.

We have to truly become a united people of the United States of America, and divisiveness cannot make that happen.

Sometimes I'm very disappointed at some of the people in our family of communicators, whether it be a songwriter or a rapper that's always talking about negativity or a singer or a columnist or a network that basically gets off on just trying to create the negative.

Sometimes I wish I could drive a car, but I'm gonna drive a car one day, so I don't worry about that.

Now some folks say that we should be glad for what we have. Tell me, would you be happy in Village Ghetto Land?